Chavanel wins Eneco Tour prologue

Sylvain Chavanel, who rides for the Belgian Quick-Step team, won the opening prologue of the Eneco Tour covering the 4.4 kilometer route through Rotterdam in 4 minutes and 55 seconds. Second place went to the winner of Sunday's Vattenfall Cyclassics, Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream), who missed out by a one second. Belgian Tom Boonen rounded out the podium in third finishing less than a second behind Farrar.

"It's my first time competing in the Eneco Tour. I'm going to try and stay focused throughout the week to live up to my team's ambitions," he said.

"The aim is obviously the overall victory. I haven't taken my foot off the pedal since the Tour de France. I'm continuing to train well - I'm in form."

With his win today, Chavanel will wear the race's first leaders jersey during tomorrow's 184km stage from Aalter to Ardooie in Belgium.

The Frenchman likes his chances for the overall, and with this being his first victory since the 3rd stage of Paris-Nice in March, he will be looking to keep his momentum.

"In the next stages I’m going to compete paying special attention to the tactical situations in the race. We’re here with a great team and I think I could do very well in the last stage which is a 13 kilometer time trial."

Tommorow's course will have the stage set for the sprinters with the American Farrar an easy favorite for victory. But with his performance today, Boonen has shown his form is good, so he could be a factor in the sprint on home soil.